Reacting sharply to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s challenge to Rahul Gandhi to contest from Hyderabad, Telangana Congress leaders dared him to contest from any other constituency in the country other than Hyderabad.
“Will Asaduddin contest from Kerala,” asked former PCC chief V. Hanmanth Rao mocking the AIMIM chief at a press conference on Monday, adding that Rahul Gandhi could contest from any constituency in the country.
Telangana Congress vice-president Chamala Kiran Reddy said Mr. Owaisi’s challenge was nothing but a direction from his political bosses in New Delhi and Pragati Bhavan, indicating that Mr. Owaisi was speaking guided by the BJP leaders in New Delhi and BRS leaders in Hyderabad. He said Mr. Owaisi spoke similarly of the INDIA alliance influenced by his ‘powerful’ friends who are scared of Congress.
Mr. Reddy wondered why Mr. Owaisi was so agitated and asked him to contest from any constituency in the country if he was a secular national leader connected to the ideology of the Indian democratic system. “You are the owner of your party and you can choose the constituency unlike Mr. Gandhi whose seat is decided by the party,” he added
“Muslims have already realised how you are speaking on behalf of the BJP and that your political survival is always siding with the ruling party. It’s better if Mr. Owaisi speaks about the development of his constituency and compares it to the neighbouring constituencies like Secunderabad or Malkajgiri,” Mr. Reddy charged.
TPCC senior vice-president G. Niranjan said if Mr. Gandhi decides to contest from Hyderabad Lok Sabha Constituency, the defeat of Mr. Owaisi was certain. “The voters of Hyderabad, particularly Muslim voters, are vexed with the Majlis Party and its leaders. They are waiting to teach them a lesson.”
He said Mr. Gandhi with his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir strengthened the bond of love and affection among people, and this seems to be disturbing Mr. Owaisi and his friends. “Targeting Rahul Gandhi at this juncture means there is an internal understanding between Majlis and the BJP.”
He also alleged that Mr. Owaisi has been trying to weaken the secular Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, and he should name any other alternative that is capable of fighting the “communal BJP” if he was truly concerned about the danger to country’s secular values.
